Posts by Angela Wright

brisksurfer said:....

Honey, I am so incredibly sorry. Please accept my deepest condolences. You did everything humanly possible for him, and he knew that. Now, you just have to let him rest in peace.
Just know that even after things get this dark, better days eventually find their way back to you. Life feels different afterward—you carry a certain weight in your heart—but life keeps moving, and one day, you'll find yourself smiling again.
Hang in there.

Lisa Ross81 said:Since this thread is still pretty active, I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction.
Where can I find a wig and an artificial breast prosthesis in a major US city?
My mother is covered for these by Medicare, but we have no clue where to actually go buy them.
Thanks a ton! 🙂

You can usually pick up a wig or a prosthesis using cash on delivery since they’re both classified as orthopedic aids. Just a heads-up though: those off-the-truck wigs aren't exactly high-end. As for the prosthesis, I'm not entirely sure. You might want to check out this resource for more info:

There’s a shop over at the Capitol Center that specializes in wigs; they have a huge selection and they work directly with Medicare. Back when my mom was getting hers sorted (around 2005), I think she just paid upfront and covered the difference for a higher-quality option. I can't say for certain how the process works nowadays. 🤷

@ruggedscout91

Back in 2005, I was at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for surgery to remove an ovarian cyst. I happened to be sharing a room with a woman who was a general practitioner herself—she had been sent back in for yet another D&C in such a short span of time. The doctors let her stay in the room for a bit to recover while waiting for someone to pick her up.
I remember it vividly: the doctor stood there in front of everyone in the room and flat-out recommended she just have the surgery to get rid of it once and for all, specifically because of those constant D&Cs and the heavy bleeding she was dealing with. He looked at her and said, "Colleague, you should at least realize that your uterus is in such a state that it's basically acting like a sponge, soaking up poison that’s slowly killing you in agony. Let us fix this; it's the only way you'll save yourself."
Obviously, how things turn out depends heavily on which doctor you happen to end up with, but it also says a lot about the woman carrying the issue within her.

Melissa Morgan67 said:I'm checking back in with another question.

It’s mostly about deodorants. Which brands are aluminum chlorohydrate-free? I looked into Sebamed, but apparently, it doesn't hold up very well. I absolutely love Dove, but since it contains aluminum, I'm getting increasingly paranoid about breast cancer risks.

Thanks for any help you can give.

Check out the ones at Disney that use Japanese minerals, or try Biogen.

Help ease the suffering of those facing terminal illnesses!

By donating, you can support a massive initiative to establish our nation's first dedicated hospice center.

Find all the details right here: http://www.ostaniuzmene.com/
We’ll be launching an online donation option very soon. I'll drop the link here as soon as it goes live.

This project isn't just a medical necessity; it's a vital social mission for every single person in America. The truth is, we all share some responsibility for why a project like this hasn't been realized sooner. Now, you have the chance to actually help build a better future for everyone!

Help ease the suffering of those facing terminal illness!

By donating, you can help fuel a massive initiative to establish the very first hospice in America.

Find out more about the mission here: http://www.ostaniuzmene.com/
We'll be rolling out an online donation option very soon. I’ll drop the link right here as soon as it goes live.

This project isn't just a medical necessity; it's a vital social mission that impacts every single person in our country. The truth is, we all share some responsibility for why a project like this hasn't become a reality sooner. Now, you have a real chance to step up and help build a better future for everyone!

urbannomad13 said:I had a fever, but it's gone now. I dealt with diarrhea for two days, though I didn't vomit (which is what my doctor asked about). That all happened right at the start of the parade... and of course, there's this pain on my right side, in my back and lower abdomen, that's still hanging on today... The thing is, whenever I take an antibiotic—say, after three pills in the pack—things improve slightly, but as soon as I finish the whole course, by the next day or even that same night... the pain is just absolute agony. So I go back to the doctor, and he just prescribes another round... and it's been going on like this for a month now...

Get yourself to the ER and tell them you're having a severe pain attack. Tell them you already saw a general practitioner and finished a dose of antibiotics, but nothing worked, and now the pain is completely unbearable.
They’ll admit you and get you treated. You can't just brush off abdominal pain like it's nothing.
It sounds like you've got some kind of infection, most likely triggered by a kidney stone. You can't ignore this, because things can spiral out of control incredibly fast and get very ugly, very quickly.

swiftbear86 said:That’s what you call being completely out of your mind.
What else is there to say? The doctor definitely dropped the ball on this one.
Maybe you should have been more persistent about it...
Now—what’s the deal here? It's right here.
It’s a total mess. The doctor is panicking because an auditor is breathing down his neck, and he hasn't even finished all the necessary tests to pin down the actual diagnosis yet.
Just tell the inspector the truth. At worst, you’re looking at being sent right back to work. Your doctor will likely just sign off on your medical leave and hand you the paperwork to take straight to your employer.
Get ready to see a much smaller paycheck hitting your bank account next month.😢

I’d file a formal complaint and take this straight to a human rights court if that’s what it took. It drives me absolutely insane. You get to the doctor, tell them exactly what you need, and they start whining at you. Then, when they completely fail to do their actual job, they have the nerve to bitch because you didn't just sit there and take it. Honestly, that’s just how it works in this dysfunctional country with its pathetic excuse for a healthcare system.
Fire your doctor. Seriously. Just walk into a different clinic, tell them you aren’t happy with the level of professionalism at your old practice, and move on. Your medical records follow you from office to office anyway, so it’s not like you're starting from scratch. It's that simple.

Kimberly Wright said:😁
I caught that part about the spark. Honestly, I was under the impression they were specifically targeting parents dealing with kids fighting cancer.🤷

The reality is they extend a hand to everyone—whether it’s the kids themselves, the adults, parents, or anyone navigating the fallout of a cancer diagnosis or losing a loved one to the disease.

Kimberly Wright said:My mom got a call today from a friend she met while they were both stuck in the hospital together.
The woman had colon cancer and just finished going through chemo and radiation... but...
it looks like her older daughter finally hit a breaking point. She’s completely shut down—won't talk to anyone, avoids her younger sister, and won't even face her mother.
Does anyone know of an organization or a counseling center that offers psychological support specifically for families dealing with cancer patients? Aside from this PDF and Zane's forum... 🙂

If you actually pay attention to the headlines in the New York Post, you'll see there's help out there.😉
There's a banner for the Spark on the front page advertising psychological assistance.

Susan Diaz91 said:Hey everyone, 😘
ever since my mom passed away, I’ve had zero desire to actually post here, even though I find myself scrolling through this thread constantly...

I just got hit with this wave of pure anxiety after visiting my pulmonologist. I laid out my mother's entire medical history, we did the lung scans and the spirometry, and everything came back perfectly fine.
But, just to be safe, he sent me over to Springfield General to get bloodwork done for tumor markers...
I haven't gone yet, but I'm planning to head there in the next few days...

Just when I felt like I was finally getting my footing again, a very close friend of mine dropped a bombshell on me. Stomach cancer. They operated immediately, removed a third of her stomach, and had to take out 17 lymph nodes because the tumor had already started spreading...
She’s gone through 9 rounds of chemo and 9 rounds of radiation.

I'm spending a lot of time with her lately. If I ever need to be there for someone in my life, it’s her right now... 🙂

Can anyone give me an honest idea of what the survival odds look like for something like this??

Look, you know there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, but think about it like this: a friend of mine has a dad who went through the exact same thing. They had to remove his entire stomach—I don't know if he had any underlying issues—but after finishing all the chemo and radiation, it’s been 6 or 7 years now, and the guy is absolutely rock solid.

Arthur Wells97 said:Please, I need help... my mom has already finished two rounds of chemo using Avastin and platinum-based drugs. She’s actually feeling better, but I’m desperate for any shared experiences or advice you can give me...

And has anyone heard anything about that Budwig Center over in Spain?

Everyone reacts differently. You won't know the true status or if the medication actually worked until the end of the treatment when they run a follow-up PET scan.

As for Budwig, check the alternative medicine forums. It’s essentially just a specific dietary regimen.

ruggedscout91 said:Don't expect her to pick you up in the car. My patients are so insignificant that I can't even recall a single case where someone actually won in court without having a mountain of cash for a high-priced lawyer. And let’s be honest—they all likely feel like they can get away with it, provided the crime isn't an obvious murder or running someone over.
I’ve reached the conclusion that I can only ask for scraps if I want anything at all. But honestly, if I were that private gynecologist, I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing a victim of my incompetence was still out there. I am still mentally replaying how to make this right. As long as he continues to practice and keeps leaving women disabled, I will never have peace. Never.
I'm currently taking some phytohormones to try and patch my life back together because my mental state has completely shifted. Is it true what I read somewhere—that fools always seem to fare better when they cause unintentional harm to others? 😠

We’re working on expanding our association's scope to include legal aid. Believe it or not, we actually have medical law specialists right here in the States. There are a handful of them who carry so much weight that when a letter arrives at a medical facility on their official letterhead, the whole issue gets smoothed over in the blink of an eye.
Most legal battles involving medical malpractice or violations of patient rights usually end in a quiet settlement behind closed doors—even that whole mess involving Maskarin.

I’m jumping back in here to point out another massive failure in the US healthcare system: we don't provide our medical professionals with adequate malpractice insurance to protect them from honest mistakes. Let's be real—nobody is perfect. Humans make errors, and sometimes those slips can be fatal. We should be giving these workers a safety net so they can actually do their jobs without the constant fear that one single mistake will ruin their entire lives.

Linda Cox69 said:Look, I really wish we could just drop this subject entirely, but here we are...
My mom was admitted to the hospital today. I don't have all the specifics yet since I couldn't head down there with her right away..😢

I have a question about her chemo regimen—during her first round, she did six sessions every three weeks at an outpatient clinic, but now they’re telling us she’ll be staying in the hospital for 5 to 7 days. Does this mean they're switching her to a more aggressive treatment? Has anyone dealt with this before? What should we be bracing ourselves for..

Thanks

Some treatment protocols require continuous IV infusion for three days straight. Because of the potential side effects and how a patient might react, they have to keep her under constant medical supervision.

restlesspanther42 said:If I sign up for the registry and donate blood, but then end up getting sick—say, with something serious like cancer—does that mean I'd be disqualified from donating bone marrow if they ever needed me?

Yeah, it does.

Maria Ramirez63 said:Has anyone dealt with this before??
I’m trying to figure out if there's actually a way to treat this, how long it takes, or even what causes it in the first place...
In my case, it started after I had head surgery. My doctor insists the nerve was barely even touched, but it's been a full year now and nothing has changed...😢 ....
If anyone has any insight, please let me know. I could really use the help. Thanks.😕

If there's actual nerve damage, that paralysis is likely permanent.😢 Some physical therapy might offer minor relief, but you really need to consult a neurologist or a physiatrist.
It's what happens when you start messing with the head. You never truly know what you're hitting or what kind of lasting damage you're going to leave behind.

ambercrane32 said:Does anyone know where I can actually track down some Bivacyn powder? I know it exists, but my local CVS doesn't carry it. Honestly, the pharmacist there tried to sell me on the Bivacyn spray, claiming it's basically the same thing—like, "it's just powder in a spray bottle now." I gave her that look, you know? I told her straight up that a powder and a spray aren't the same thing, and besides, I know they make a spray, a powder, and a cream, according to the Pfizer website. I mean, if you do the math—the 150ml spray goes for over $20, while that little 3g box of powder is only about $2.25, and they aren't even used for the same kinds of wounds. Plus, she used to buy those 3g boxes back in the day, and man, you wouldn't believe how much actual powder was packed into those things; they lasted us nearly ten years before they suddenly vanished from the shelves recently.

So, yeah. Does anyone have a lead on where to buy the Bivacyn powder?

Personally, I think the spray version is way easier to use. With the bottle version, I always miss the target area. Also, for what it's worth, the powder is dissolved in that spray anyway, so you can treat all the same types of injuries as you would with the actual powder. 😉
Try checking that pharmacy over by Union Square. They always seem to have everything in stock, and they won't hesitate to order something special if you ask.

Joseph Booth said:It’s possible, but honestly, I'm leaning towards it being down to overeating and just a generally crappy lifestyle, haha. Still, thanks for the heads-up; I'll look into that too. Personally, I'm not exactly thrilled about the prospect of a gastroscopy.

You know what they say: "Thinking is just guesswork."

Just let a specialist give you the real answer. As for the gastroscopy, you'll survive. It's more annoying than it is painful, and it'll be over before you know it.

Raymond Price4 said:Technically the employer pays, but yeah—it's deducted from all our paychecks because that's how the law works. It comes right out of my gross pay. If the law didn't mandate pension and health contributions, I’d be taking home my full gross salary instead of whatever is left after the State takes its cut.

In private companies, it's become standard to negotiate based on gross salary (including mine)—so yeah, I'm paying for it. The boss isn't "paying" it; it's money I earned by working for them. Do you honestly think employers do this out of the goodness of their hearts, or that they'd just hand over cash to workers who aren't even profitable?

If it wasn't legally mandated, I'd choose my own insurance policy—if I even bothered—and my money wouldn't be used to fund healthcare for everyone else, including those who don't work. And unfortunately, most people fall into that second category.

Just to be clear—I'm not saying everything about healthcare is broken or that everyone is corrupt. Quite the opposite. Despite all the scandals you hear about, I've mostly had great experiences, and I don't have any special connections or pay anyone to jump the line.

And yeah, I did use the ER once—turned out to be the right call, because waiting for a regular appointment could have ended badly. When the system is set up this way, you can't blame people for looking out for themselves.

A massive chunk of my paycheck goes toward healthcare, and on top of that, I pay for supplemental insurance, a private gynecologist, a dentist, and various medications.

My cousin just flew in from the States, and she’s going on about how people over there are actually looking to ditch their current setup and move back toward something more like our Medicare.
A friend was telling me about this mess she dealt with recently. She needed some kind of surgery—I can't recall the specifics—but her private insurance provider basically gave her the boot. Their reasoning? They claimed certain medications she was taking could potentially complicate the procedure. Now, look, there’s absolutely no proof that those drugs caused any issues, and frankly, it's impossible to prove otherwise, but they used it as a convenient excuse to wash their hands of her. So, she had to shell out the cash for the whole thing right out of her own pocket. She's planning to sue them, obviously. If she lands a high-end lawyer, she might actually walk away with a settlement, though they’ll probably end up splitting the legal fees 50/50. At least with the American legal system, things tend to move with a bit more speed and efficiency when you have the right representation.
Just imagine the absolute chaos that’s going to erupt once all those massive foreign insurance conglomerates start moving in. You only have to look at how the big banks are behaving right now to see where this is headed. And don't even get me started on our legal system—it's enough to give you a massive headache.

Ugh, we're talking long-term now!😍
I’m of the opinion that supplemental insurance ought to be strictly private. Medicare should remain as the public foundation, but we need to establish independent oversight bodies to manage it. Without those clear, autonomous control structures, we're just going to get stuck in an endless loop of finger-pointing and bureaucratic infighting over who is actually responsible for what between Medicare and the private insurers.

Sarah Williams37 said:H. pylori is just H. pylori; if she cleared the infection, then that isn't the issue anymore. Even if she had her gallbladder removed, she could still be dealing with liver issues—removing the gallbladder puts an extra burden on the liver. I'm not sure how else to answer you, but I deal with gastritis and biliary sludge myself, so the problems are constant. Right now, I'm using coconut oil, for example. Maybe she should try chamomile; she can pick some up at a local health food store in a town like Columbus. When conventional medicine stops working, people naturally turn to alternative remedies—that’s just how it goes. Fingers crossed.

Just because she cleared an infection in the past doesn't mean she's immune to getting it again. That's like saying once you cure strep throat with antibiotics, you'll never catch it again.
If there's actually something wrong with her liver, a simple blood panel will show it clearly enough.

You've got biliary sludge, gastritis, and your solution is coconut oil? Honestly, you need to educate yourself on your own condition before those "alternative" types bleed you dry. 😉